With accounting systems like these...

[vibrantabyss.livejournal.com]

Who needs enemies.  Just got my water bill, with a huge unpaid balance.  Which is odd because I paid it in full in December, at the window.  And yep, there's the canceled check.  So ensues fun & games with City Hall.

Turns out they took the day I paid it they shifted a portion of the prior bill to a lien.  And applied the full check to said lien, leaving the rest of the money as a non-interest earning credit on the lien account, while charging me 14% on the unpaid waterbill.  Also, my math may be off, but 14% on $800 for three months is a crapload less than the $120 in interest that went on to the account.

Oh, also, while they send out lien statements, said statements WILL NOT SHOW a credit balance at all, so you don't get to find out if this happened to you, at least not an easy way.

In any case, huge kudos to the supervisor Ms. Craveiro for at least figuring out the issues.  Sadly office was closed at that point, so fixing it will have to wait until Monday.   We'll see how much of a fight I have about getting the interest charges reversed...

In any case, make sure the checks you pay to the town go to the right thing, in the right amount... not just that they are cashed the week after you submit them.